Portland Real Estate Market Activity — September 2010

With September and October typically being the last months of the year with any serious sales volume, Portland’s real estate market may be heading for an early hibernation.

September 2010 saw just 1,399 homes change hands, off 36% of the typical September average (measured between 2000 and 2010). Nearly 1,600 homes are on the books as sale pending, meaning that October’s closed sales total will be historically low, too.

After sustaining improbable tax-incentive fueled sale prices through the summer, September saw marked price declines: -6.5% compared to August average prices, and -4.0% at the median. Average and median sale prices throughout the metro area were $279,900 and $240,000 respectively. Measured against the peak of the market in the summer of 2008, prices are down over 20% once again.

Fortunately, the market is not flooded with properties. At the current pace of sales, the existing inventory of 14,714 homes would be depleted in 10.5 months. Five to six months inventory is viewed as balanced between buyers and sellers, so things are still tipped in favor of bargain hunters. On average, it is taking over 4 months to market and sell a property in the Portland area.

Below are summaries of the Portland housing market, including year-to-date figures for the metro areas.

Market Summary

September 2010 August 2010 Last Year

September 2009

Median Sale Price $240,000 $250,000 $241,400
Average Sale Price $279,900 $299,300 $290,300
Closed Sales 1,399 1,381 1,800
Pending Sales 1,584 1,688 2,286
New Listings 3,549 3,829 3,599
Active Listings 14,714 15,000 13,667
Total Market Time * 131 days 126 days 131 days
Inventory (in months) 10.5 11.0 7.6

Below is activity by market area. Please note that the median and average sale prices are year-to-date), and the appreciation numbers are a 12-month average compared to the previous 12-month average. Total market time is the number of days between the date it went on the market and when it received an acceptable offer.

Market Report by Area

Area YTD Avg.
Sale Price
YTD Median
Sale Price
12-Mo. Change Total Mkt
Time*
Lake Oswego / West Linn $440,200 $387,900 -9.3% 186
West Portland & Downtown $410,300 $342,800 -6.5% 178
NW Washington County $367,800 $335,000 -4.7% 86
Tigard / Tualatin / Sherwood / Wilsonville $305,000 $279,900 -5.7% 158
Northeast Portland $285,000 $249,000 -1.6% 104
Milwaukie / Clackamas $263,000 $242,000 -6.8% 160
Oregon City / Canby $257,800 $230,000 -8.4% 124
Beaverton / Aloha $243,700 $219,900 -1.7% 107
Southeast Portland $239,100 $210,000 -4.6% 106
Hillsboro / Forest Grove $228,400 $209,300 -7.8% 112
North Portland $230,600 $225,000 -1.9% 92
Yamhill County $218,000 $191,700 -7.3% 172
Gresham / Troutdale $214,000 $202,500 -5.0% 116
Columbia County $185,400 $180,000 -11.1% 146

Market data courtesy of RMLS, September 2010.

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